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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · nail · hand · rest · safe · firm · roll · trunk

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rest — a break
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rest — what's left
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. roll — a list
  20. vault — a safe
  21. roll — a cake
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com